20 August 2012

20 August 2012 – Batula (and news updates)

As the summer winds down, and schools let back in for the season, I find myself thinking that the GNReader needs some sprucing up. I’ve been debating a couple of changes that might result in minor cosmetic changes to the page, or it could mean a whole redesign. I’m still up in the air about the entire thing. Anyways, that’s a discussion for another day.

Remember how I said last week that my friend Steve Conley was starting a kickstarter project to fund his Bloop production? Well, the day after it went live, he hit his goal. Now, the kickstarter runs for a full month and you can still kick in to help fund it. Just check out the link above and be a part of something that I personally feel is going to be momentous.

The Toon Books Contest tied into Rutu Modan’s finished a few days ago. No winners announced yet, but the contestants looked like they had a blast. Hopefully, they’ll list the winners soon. I just wanted to thank Toon Books for allowing me to be a part of the contest (however minor it might have been). It was a lot of fun to see kids showing off how messy they could be, and reminded me of how much fun my kids were at that age (and still are).

In the next couple of months, I will be creating brochures and discussion points that highlight what it is that I do, as I have been doing some public speaking. If you would like for me to come and discuss graphic novels for younger audiences, general audiences, new releases, or just about anything to do with Graphic Novels, please contact me to see about scheduling a meeting.

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Batula

Image Courtesy Image Comics

Written by Steven T. Seagle, Illustrated by Marco Cinello

Image Comics, 2012

ISBN: 978-1-60706-572-2 (HC)

$16.99; Ages: 8 +

Synopsis

Livingston is a peaceful fruit bat that lives in the Orchard, a lovely area of land outside of the Big City. Livingston is consumed with the fact that he doesn’t stand out from any of the other bats in his group, and can’t seem to draw the eye of Drina, a cute female bat that he likes. Deciding to distinguish himself from the others in the Orchard, Livingston flies into the Big City to make a name for himself. After a terrifying run-in with another bat, Livingston starts acting different. While the new Livingston is an instant hit with Drina, he seriously jeopardizes his chances with her when she catches him eating a meatball. Fleeing the Orchard, Livingston meets Wulf, who trains him to embrace the change and use it for the betterment of his brethren. Of course, once his group is threatened by a not-so-old enemy, can Livingston prove he’s the hero Wulf thinks he is? Can he truly become…Batula?

Analysis

Alright, this is not a *traditional* graphic novel in the sense of word balloons and panels, but I’m willing to make an exception in this case. For one, it’s written by Steven T. Segal – The guy who helped create Man of Action Labs (the Ben 10 series, Generator Rex, and the Vertigo title House of Secrets), two, it’s steeped in comic book folklore, and three, because it’s my blog and I can review what I want. The pacing is tight, yet not frantic, and even though the story may not break any new ground, it’s done in such a way that it feels completely fresh and original. Cinello’s artwork is eye-poppingly gorgeous and really captures the moods of each event. My personal favorite is the character of Wulf, who bears a passing resemblance to the old Daredevil mentor “Stick”. There is humor, action, and just enough danger to make this a great story.

Final Thoughts

This may not be a title that girls are going to flock to, but the boys will be swarming this one. Segal’s been around a while, and this book really shows off the mastery of his craft. Coupling Cinello’s artwork with Segal’s prose results in a fun, funny, and fascinating tale of what you can accomplish, especially when you realize that being different can be a huge advantage. Libraries are going to want at least one copy, and be prepared for it to be waitlisted, because it really is a lot of fun.

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About Us

Nathan is an avid reader of Graphic Novels and author of "Graphic Novels for Young Readers: A Genre Guide for Ages 4-14" from Libraries Unlimited. He originally discovered Graphic Novels as a young teen, and has been reading them ever since. Now that he has three Readers of his own, he reviews Graphic Novels for younger audiences.

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